BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 19, Number 6, November 2018 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 2353-2358 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d190645 Mass vegetative propagation of rare and endangered tree species of Indonesia by shoot cuttings by KOFFCO method and effect of container type on nursery storage of rooted cuttings HENTI HENDALASTUTI RACHMAT 1,♥ ATOK SUBIAKTO 1 , ARIDA SUSILOWATI 2,3,♥♥ 1 Forest Research and Development Center. Jl. Raya Gunung Batu No 5, Bogor 16118, West Java, Indonesia. Tel.: +62-251-8633234, 7520067; Fax.: +62-251-8638111, ♥ email: hendalastuti@yahoo.co.uk 2 Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Jl. Tri Dharma Ujung No. 1, Kampus USU, Medan 20155, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Tel./fax: +62-61-820-1920. ♥♥ arida_iswanto@yahoo.co.id 3 Mangrove and Bio-resources Group. Center of Excellence for Natural Resources Based Technology, Universitas Sumatera Utara. Medan 20155, North Sumatra, Indonesia Manuscript received: 11 October 2018. Revision accepted: 20 November 2018. Abstract. Rachmat HH, Subiakto A, Susilowati A. 2018. Mass vegetative propagation of rare and endangered tree species of Indonesia by shoot cuttings by KOFFCO method and effect of container type on nursery storage of rooted cuttings. Biodiversitas 19: 2353-2358. The Forestry Research and Development Agency (FORDA) and The Advance Research of Komatsu Ltd have developed a mass propagation technique using shoot cuttings, namely KOFFCO system (Komatsu-FORDA Fog Cooling System). KOFFCO system controls environmental factors (temperature, humidity, and light intensity) to produce high percentage of rooted cuttings. The seed production of dipterocarp species is unreliable and unpredictable. Thus, vegetative propagation is an alternative means for producing planting materials of dipterocarp species. An attempt was made to produce rooted cuttings of rare and endangered dipterocarp and non- dipterocarp species of the Indonesian native trees, for further use in both reforestation and plantation programs. In fact, this study attempts to answer two specific research questions: (i) What is the potential of KOFFCO system as a vegetative mass propagation technique for Indonesian dipterocarps and non-dipterocarps? (ii) What is the effect of container types on long-term post-nursery storage of dipterocarp planting stock? To answer the first question stated above, vegetative propagation through shoot cuttings of 24 species belonging to 7 genera of dipterocarps and 13 species belonging to 12 genera of non-dipterocarps was attempted (>30.000 cuttings, in total), using KOFFCO system. The results showed that KOFFCO is an efficient innovative technology for the successful mass propagation from cuttings. 100% root formation obtained for Nauclea orientalis, Anotephalus macrophyllus and Ficus sp. To find the answer for the second question, storage experiments and growth observations of the planting stock of selected dipterocarp species was performed, using three different types of containers. Rooted cuttings of six species of dipterocarps with same germination date were tested in each type of the container. The result showed that medium sized square and medium sized round containers produced an average height increment of 19.92 cm and 21.58 cm, respectively, in a year, while small sized square containers produced only 13.94 cm height increment. Both square and round shaped containers are appropriate for short term storage of planting stock, while small containers are more appropriate for storing planting stocks or seedlings for a longer period. Keywords: KOFFCO, cutting, mass propagation, dipterocarps INTRODUCTION Domination of Dipterocarps in tropical forests of South East Asia is undebatable. Dipterocarps are not only ecologically important but also economically significant (Bradshaw et al. 2009). 13 of the total 16 genera within the family, and about 92% of the 510 species belonging to this family grows naturally in the forests of Asia(Bawa 1998). Bradshaw et al. (2009) determined that the rate of tropical forest loss in Southeast Asia is greater than all other tropical regions. Adjers et al. (1995) stated that in the last two decades itself, at least seventy million hectares of forest was seriously depleted for which over exploitation and shifting cultivation were the main causes. Establishing new forests in Indonesia and Malaysia has been mainly carried out by planting exotic trees such as Acacia and Eucalyptus. Contrary to most native tree species, silvicultural techniques for both Acacia and Eucalyptus are widely available and advanced. Other considerations for establishing such exotic trees is that they show faster growth and higher resistance to environmental stress. While establishing plantations of exotic trees can guarantee timber supply in relatively short period of time, enrichment planting of commercially logged forests and establishment of commercial plantations using native or indigenous species offers greater benefits. In principal, restoring forest productivity for timber production is not the only criterion nowadays. Instead, recovering biodiversity and enhancing other environmental services are also receiving due considerations. Depending on site and silvicultural techiques adapted, a 15 to 17 years old dipterocarps plantation could give the average diameter of 13.7 to 24.9 cm at breast height and the total volume ranged from 79.420 m 3 /ha-215.412 m 3 /ha (Subiakto et al. 2016). Considering the advanced technology in wood processing, producing timber of lower